Exeposé Comment are looking to find Exeter’s most popular alumnus.
We’ve cut the shortlist down to three. Will Young and JK Rowling led the way in our initial poll of Exeter’s favourite alumunus. The sheer volume of people calling for Thom Yorke has parachuted him into the final vote. Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 1st December. Obviously the person with the most votes will be unofficially crowned as Exeter’s Favourite Alumnus. Below are a reminder of who the three candidates are, along with a short piece about why you should vote for them.
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1) Thom Yorke
Exeter University having alumni of note is an important part of any university’s existence, it says a lot about the type of person they are, where they come from and what they hope to achieve. Politicians, comedians, authors, bankers, journalists and even legendary Apprentice Raef Bjayou have traversed hilly Devon. One name has however stood out from the rest in terms of sheer achievement but also excellence. Thom Yorke studied at Exeter and has left an indelible mark upon the world of music. As the lead singer of Radiohead, but also Atoms for Peace, Yorke has crafted albums of international acclaim, constantly aiming to push the boundaries of music and is a reference point for many young artists in the UK today.
Though the irony of an aspiring writer defending the famously press hating singer has crossed this author’s mind, it is out of undiluted admiration that a man who has shaped many a person’s musical tastes, been named one of the top ten most powerful people in music and helped create Exeter’s famous Cavern club be held aloft. Though there is little higher acclaim than being a former Lemmy DJ, Yorke is known as a global activist for environmental causes, fair trade, good journalism (Listen to the Radiohead track ‘The Daily Mail) and anti-war movements.
Callum Burroughs, Online Music Editor
2) Will Young.
As it’s been pointed out this week, Will Young is more than just a contemporary pop artist. The past ten years have seen Young jump from strength to strength within the entertainment industry, particularly diversifying himself as an actor appearing on television, film and stage. Regardless of anyone’s personal consideration on the quality of his body of work, it includes a number of hugely successful albums and an extensive acting and performing career which earned him a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Cabaret.
So why does any of this warrant Will Young being called Exeter’s Favourite Alumni? Exeter is a holding pen for talented and successful people in almost every field imaginable. This is true, but Young stands out as arguably the most media friendly and popular alumnus and that is what makes his connection to the University so important. When we talk about the University’s alumni and why they’re important, it’s not only their achievements but their reputation and philanthropy that reflects the status of the University. For his work with Women’s Aid, Mencap, Catch22 and many other charitable organisations, as well as his diverse and ever-popular media representation, I would argue that Will Young is surely the best example of the values held by Exeter and should be your choice for our favourite alumni.
James Bennett, Online Comment Editor
3) JK Rowling.
Conservative MPs are a dime a dozen, washed up talent show competitors litter the upper reaches of the top one hundred and, let’s face it, everyone’s a comedian these days. But no one, not from Exeter University nor anywhere-else for that matter, has come close to replicating the genius of Harry Potter.
J.K. Rowling deserves the top spot as Exeter’s favourite alumna because of this genius. She created a fictional world that for many exists parallel with our own, inspiring generations across the world with her stories of courage, friendship and magic. There is no way to compare the practically transcendent effect of reading Harry Potter with the mediocrity displayed by the other competing alumni.
J.K. Rowling also has her own charitable trust and dedicates much time, resources and energy to other philanthropic endeavours, particularly regarding multiple sclerosis, child welfare and anti-poverty. Not to mention her astounding ability to coax millions of literature-shy kids into reading.
In her 2008 commencement speech to Harvard University, she managed to juggle Harry Potter jokes alongside intensely moving accounts of her personal struggle with poverty and her time spent working with Amnesty International.
The title of her speech was, in part, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure”. Together with Harry, Ron and Hermione, J.K. has inspired a generation into believing that no matter how much you ‘fail’ – whether it be accidentally entering the Triwizard Tournament, snapping your wand in half or taking Polyjuice potion with cat hair in it – you will still be able to come out on top. What is more valuable than that?
Olivia Luder, Online Editor
Honorable mentions: Rhod Gilbert, Frank Gardner.
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